Big changes arrived earlier this week for the NECC, one of the premiere esports leagues for colleges across the nation. The team announced ‘Project I,’ a new initiative designed to service NCAA Division I schools nationwide with a new competitive format.
The new tournament will begin in the coming school year, bringing in designated seasons for its four main titles. League of Legends and Valorant tournaments will run through the fall semester, with Overwatch 2 and Rocket League coming in the spring semester. These semesters will culminate in a national championship in the spring where the top teams are brought together for head-to-head competition.
With collegiate esports growing in thousands of schools nationwide, one question has always been how it mirrors traditional sports. NECC is one of the first leagues, along with EGF, to jump on this idea with a new format that mirrors the recognizable NCAA athletic system. Games are now given seasons and conferences grouped by region.
While the format is different, the goal for NECC is the same as its other tournaments.
“Ultimately, the vision for it remains consistent with the vision for everything that we do and that is to try and provide the best possible experience for the student-athletes that compete with us,” said Jacob VanRyn, CEO of NECC.
The decision came after long talks between the management at NECC and partner schools, many of which were DI athletic schools. What was noticed was that not all DI schools have an official esports program. The NECC hopes that Project I will help these schools grow and become sustainable.
“There are a lot of Division I schools that have thriving club programs and if we can help support them to get the support they need (in whatever form that comes in), then that would be a win,” added VanRyn.
Project I Makes an Impact on DI Schools
This new announcement caused a buzz for almost 400 DI schools across the nation, but also among other programs as well.
David Dickert, Esports Coordinator at the University of Southern Mississippi, was one that shared his program’s excitement for this new step in collegiate esports competition.
“By offering a platform for students who may not engage in traditional sports, esports foster a sense of belonging and community, enhancing overall student engagement,” Dickert said. “Overall, Division I esports competition at Southern Miss not only benefits students and the university but also strengthens the broader community.”
Many DII and DIII programs are interested to know if Project I will expand to include their divisions in the future. VanRyn said that if this first year is successful, the team would love to make division based conferences for those teams.
While the outcome of this new competition is still unknown, VanRyn went on to add that their goal is the same as any other tournament that NECC runs.
“From our side, just like with everything that we do, I want people to say ‘that was well-run, well-organized and I had a good time being a part of it.’ ”
VanRyn also added that he, and the team at NECC, are excited about the development of this project and what it could bring to collegiate esports across the board.
“I think what I’m most looking forward to in this effort is the new opportunities it presents. Interestingly, throughout our conversations with our Project I subcommittee throughout the spring and summer, the subject of telling the stories of our players, of the community, and of the importance of esports on college campuses kept coming up. Yes, the competition structure is and will be important, but our talks really focused on it being bigger than wins and losses in some way.”
Invoices to join the inaugural year of Project I are now live for DI schools. Teams are able to join at a price of $300 for NECC member schools and $400 for non-member schools. NECC has announced that more information on scheduling and gameplay dates are due to come shortly.
